This application claims the benefit of French Application 0005401, filed Apr. 27, 2000.
(Not Applicable)
The present invention is generally directed to surgical devices, and more particularly to a set of cannulae for tissue injections in the human body, in particular, the human face.
In recent years, the fields of aesthetic and plastic surgery have opened new techniques in medicine. One of the latest techniques being used for rejuvenation and correction of scars and tissue defects is fat autografting. Prior art systems use a straight cannula for the fat micro injection in the human face. These straight cannulae are not perfectly adapted to the human face. Thus, the use of these straight cannulae in the human face causes some distortion and harm to the muscle fibers and the delicate superficial subcutaneous vascularization.
Thus, a need exists for a non-traumatic instrumentation for fat grafting and tissue restructuring in the human face.
The present invention is directed to a set of cannulae for tissue injections in the human body, in particular, the human face. The set of cannulae includes a plurality of cannula injecting devices wherein each cannula injecting device comprises a hub (or nozzle) which has a central x-axis and a tubular needle connected to the hub wherein the tubular needle is curved and comprises a tip and a side opening located near the tip. Each cannula is curved to be suited for injections into at least one muscle of the human face.
In accordance with other aspects of the invention, the cannula injecting device is used for injections in the Orbicularis Oculii muscles and/or the nasolabial furrow. The tubular needle may be uniformly curved with the side opening looking inside the curve. The uniformly curved cannula injecting device may have a blunt tip, a working length of about 70 mm and a curve with an arc which subtends an angle of about 220.
In accordance with yet other aspects of the invention, the cannula injecting device is used for injections in the upper lip philtrum. The tubular needle may be uniformly curved with the side opening looking inside the curve. The tubular needle may have a blunt spatula-like tip, a working length of about 35 mm and an arc which subtends an angle of approximately 80xc2x0.
In accordance with still other aspects of the invention, the cannula injecting device may be used for injections in the Zygomatic Major and/or Zygomatic Minor muscles in the malar area. The tubular needle of the cannula injecting device may have a straight portion connected to the hub followed by a uniformly curved portion. The side opening may look inside the curve. The cannula injecting device may have a working length of about 70 mm, with the straight portion having a length of about 15 mm and the curve portion having a length of about 55 mm and an arc which subtends an angle of approximately 20xc2x0.
In accordance with further aspects of the invention, the cannula injecting device may be used for injections in the Procerus muscle, the Corrugator muscle, the Nasalis muscle, the Frontal muscle and glabellar angle and/or the mandibular angles. The cannula injecting device may have a tubular needle with a straight portion connected to the hub, followed by a curved portion. The cannula injecting device may have the side opening looking outside the curve of the curved portion. The cannula injecting device may have a working length of about 70 mm, with the straight portion having a length of about 55 mm and the curved portion having a length of about 15 mm and an arc which subtends an angle of about 6xc2x0.
In accordance with still further aspects of the invention, the cannula injecting device may be used for injections in the Orbicularis Oris muscle and the Buccinator muscle. The tubular needle of the cannula injecting device may have a straight portion connected to the hub, followed by a curved portion. The tubular needle may have a side opening looking inside the curve of the curved portion. The cannula injecting device may have a working length of about 70 mm, with a straight portion having a length of about 5 mm and the curved portion having a length of about 65 mm and an arc which subtends an angle of approximately 34xc2x0.
In accordance with yet further aspects of the invention, the cannula injecting device may be used for injections in the Mentalis muscle, the Depressor Labii Inferioris muscle and the Depressor Anguli Oris muscle and/or the mandibular rim. The tubular needle may have a double curve which includes a first curve connected to the hub, followed by a reverse curve and a straight portion. The straight portion includes the side opening. The side opening may look inside the reverse curve. The first curve of the cannula injecting device may have a length of about 25 mm and an arc which subtends an angle of approximately 9xc2x0, the reverse curve and the straight portion have a total length of about 25 mm and an arc which subtends an angle of approximately 26xc2x0.
In accordance with other aspects of the invention, the cannula injecting device may be used for injections in a cheek portion of the Platysma muscle, and a cheek-pillar, and/or a lower lip-pillar. The tubular needle has a straight portion substantially parallel to the x-axis of the hub, the first curve may have a length of about 18 mm and an arc which subtends an angle of about 107xc2x0, the reverse curve has a length of about 7 mm and an arc which subtends an angle of about 20xc2x0 and the straight portion has a length of about 30 mm.
In accordance with further aspects of the invention, the cannulae may be grouped into sets.